Rotator wheel

• US 7,679,010 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Wingett, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke; Renee S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fishman; Marina
• Application Number:
  US10/583,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20070102266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 200/4, 200/5.A, 200/5.R, 200/6.A, 200/6.R, 200/17.R, 200512-517, 200/600
• US Class Current: 200/5.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2025/045 having a rotating dial around the operating member for additional switching functions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display

Abstract

An input apparatus for a multimedia device, said input apparatus comprising: a rotator wheel having an upper planar surface that is substantially annular in shape and exposed in order that the upper planar surface may be accessed by a user of the multimedia device; means for detecting rotational movement of the rotator wheel about an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel; and select means activated when a pressure is applied to the upper surface of the rotator wheel in a direction substantially parallel to an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel.

Claims

1. An annular dome switch comprising:

an upper dome sheet; and

an underlying substrate;

wherein the upper dome sheet extends from the underlying substrate defining a raised cross-sectional shape, the raised cross-sectional shape extending at least substantially along a length of an annular shaped path, wherein;

the underlying substrate comprises two substantially continuous annular concentric connection pads, connection pads, the two substantially continuous annular concentric connection pads comprising an inner annular pad and an outer annular pad, each having opposite ends, one end of said inner annular pad being connected to one end of said outer annular pad by a radial element and opposing ends being connected to a detection circuitry; and

the upper dome sheet is configured to make electrical contact with the connection pads of the underlying substrate when the upper dome sheet is depressed towards the underlying substrate such that the electrical contact completes an electrical circuit and that a length of the substantially continuous annular concentric connection pads in the electrical circuit is dependent on where the electrical contact is made.

2. The annular dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said annular dome switch surrounds at least one other dome switch.

3. The annular dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said annular dome switch comprises a partial annulus.

4. The annular dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said annular dome switch comprises a complete annulus.

5. The annular dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein a select means is activated upon actuation of the annular dome switch.

6. The annular dome switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rotator wheel is mounted on said annular dome switch.

7. The annular dome switch as claimed in claim 6, wherein the annular dome switch is actuated when a pressure is applied to an upper surface of the rotator wheel in a direction substantially parallel to an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel.

8. The annular dome switch as claimed in claim 6, wherein an upper planar surface of the rotator wheel is substantially annular in shape.

9. The annular dome switch as claimed in claim 6, wherein an upper planar surface of the rotator wheel is exposed such that the upper planar surface may be accessed by a user.

10. The annular dome switch as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rotator wheel is connected to monitoring means for detecting rotational movement of the rotator wheel about an axis perpendicular to an upper planar surface of the rotator wheel.

11. An input apparatus comprising an annular dome switch as claimed in claim 1.

12. The input apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein activation of the dome switch comprises temporarily modifying the electrically conductive or electrically capacitive properties of an electronic element.

13. An input apparatus for a multimedia device, said input apparatus comprising:

a rotator wheel having an upper planar surface that is substantially annular in shape and exposed in order that the upper planar surface may be accessed by a user of the multimedia device;

means for detecting rotational movement of the rotator wheel about an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel; and

select means activated when a pressure is applied to the upper surface of the rotator wheel in a direction substantially parallel to an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel,

wherein the select means is an annular dome switch, the annular dome switch comprising;

an upper dome sheet; and

an underlying substrate;

wherein the upper dome sheet extends from the underlying substrate defining a raised cross-section shape, the raised cross-section shape extending at least substantially along a length of an annular shaped path, wherein;

the underlying substrate comprises two substantially continuous annular concentric connection pads, connection pads, the two substantially continuous annular concentric connection pads comprising an inner annular pad and an outer annular pad, each having opposite ends, one end of said inner annular pad being connected to one end of said outer annular pad by a radial element and opposing ends being connected to a detection circuitry; and

the upper dome sheet is configured to make electrical contact with the connection pads of the underlying substrate when the upper dome sheet is depressed towards the underlying substrate such that the electrical contact completes an electrical circuit and that a length of the substantially continuous annular concentric connection pads in the electrical circuit is dependent on where the electrical contact is made.

14. The input apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising means to detect rotational movement of the rotator wheel.

15. The input apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the means to detect rotational movement comprises conductive tracks.

16. The input apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which a bridge contact is arranged to rotate in conjunction with the wheel.

17. The input apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein a tactile response of the select means is substantially the same over all of the rotator wheel.